Gaming machines have long been known and are now one of the most common forms of gambling. One of the oldest and best known forms of gaming machines is the rotating reel type “poker machine”. These machines use a series of three or more reels, each reel having symbols on its peripheral edge. The reels are rotated upon placing a bet and then stopped to produce an array of randomly selected symbols. Winnings are paid if the random combination of symbols matches one of the predetermined winning combinations.
Recently these gaming machines have been computerised with a video display replacing the physically rotating reels. The display screen presents an array of symbols in five columns and three rows equating to the symbols that would normally be seen on the five rotating reels of an equivalent old style mechanical machine. Computerised machines have allowed players to bet on combinations of symbols other than just those in the central row which was traditionally the only line of symbols considered in the mechanical machines. Today these machines will typically offer players the opportunity to simultaneously bet on the combinations in various “paylines” (as they are known) extending through the array. Eventually, all the practical “paylines” have become standard on most machines and game developers have looked to subsidiary or secondary games in an effort to further increase gaming enjoyment for players. A secondary game might typically involve a simulated horse race or a moving symbol that randomly changes symbols in the array of the primary game. The secondary games are often referred to as “features”. The feature would appear upon some trigger event such as a predetermined outcome in the primary game. The feature game can be used to alter the “volatility” of the gaming machine to maintain the players interest and enhance the gaming experience.
The “volatility” the gaming machine refers to the expected frequency of wins and the corresponding amount paid for each win. Overtime, all gaming machines return a set percentage of the bets received as winnings. Otherwise the machine would not make a profit. However, a machine with high volatility will return this percentage through fewer wins of high value and a low volatility machine provides more wins of less value.
Unfortunately, this generally gives the gaming machine only two set levels of volatility, that is, the volatility of the pi game and the volatility of the feature game. Therefore, the gaming machine designer has no scope to vary the volatility in an incremental manner in an effort to fiber chance the gaming experience.